Extracurricular and Study Abroad Opportunities

Do more with your time at CMU. Join a professional organization or study abroad and set yourself apart from others in your field.

Environmental science

You're encouraged to consider joining the following professional societies for environmental scientists:

There are many professional societies that are focused on a particular area of environmental science, including:

Study abroad

More opportunities are in development, but one long-standing opportunity exists. You'll be able to study the Environment and Sustainability in Japan through a summer program at the Japan Center for Michigan Universities on the shore of Lake Biwa in the city of Hikone, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. Here, you'll learn about the challenges facing Japan's environment while experiencing its language and culture first-hand. Field trips and practical research activities are a key component of the program.

For more information, visit:

Opportunities in Meteorology

Our student chapter is affiliated with the leading professional society in the field of atmospheric science. Approximately 30 to 40 students routinely participate in activities such as weather presentations at local schools, group weather discussions, attendance at national meteorological conferences, fundraisers, sponsoring guest speakers, and social activities. In addition, students provides forecasts for CMU and participate in a nationwide weather forecasting contest called 'Weather Challenge' (click to visit Weather Challenge). Find out more about the chapter.  Click HERE to visit their website, or check out their social media pages on: twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube.

Every year during CMU's Homecoming (usually mid-October), we bring in 2 or 3 alumni from around the country. These alums give presentations on their career paths. We bring in lunch for everyone, and students have lots of time to interact with our guests one-on-one. Past visitors include a National Severe S​torms Laboratory Research Scientist, a Broadcast Meteorologist in Dallas, TX, and numerous National Weather Service employees.

In addition to Career Day, each year we bring in 2 to 3 meteorology professionals to give seminars and meet informally with our students. Past seminar guests include a Senior Hurricane Specialist at the Tropical Prediction Center, the Director of Meteorology at Weather Underground, and the Director of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction.

Approximately once per month, students and faculty get together for lunch in an on-campus dining hall. Any student majoring in meteorology is welcome to join us!

The meteorology program maintains a professional weather balloon launching system. During interesting weather, students are invited to join faculty in launching a balloon. The upper-atmospheric conditions observed by the balloon are then reported to the National Weather Service.